Glue Song Explained

Glue Song
Type:single
Cover:File:Beabadoobee Glue Song Clairo cover.jpg
Artist:Beabadoobee
Released:14 February 2023
Recorded:2022
Length:2:15
Label:Dirty Hit
Producer:
  • Jacob Bugden
  • Iain Berryman
Prev Title:The Perfect Pair
Prev Year:2022
Next Title:The Way Things Go
Next Year:2023

"Glue Song" is a song by the Filipino-English singer Beabadoobee. It was produced by Jacob Bugden and Iain Berryman and released on 14 February 2023, through Dirty Hit.

A music video for the song was released along with the single. A remix with Clairo was released on 17 April 2023. The song has charted in several countries.[1]

Background and composition

The song was released on Valentine's Day. Beabadoobee stated in an interview, "I wrote a lot of this song while on tour across Australia and Asia in the back of cars and traveling. It’s a heartfelt song that means a lot to me.... A love song and the first one I've written in my new relationship. I usually write these songs that are sad, in the past with my writing even when it doesn’t sound sad looking back, the lyrics usually have been. For the first time this is just me being really happy. I'm in a really positive place for the first time in a long time and feeling love. We recorded the song with my guitarist and producer Jacob [Bugden] in his house and added in trumpets and strings. This song feels really personal and I went to my home town in Iloilo to film the music video. It’s where I was born and so that also added another personal touch to the song."[2]

Critical reception

The song was well received by critics. The Gryphons Emie Grimwood wrote that the song introduces a new era for her music in a beautiful way, further writing that other return with a statement of love and gratitude, while also paying homage to the city she grew up in, calling it "touching and unflawed."[3] Stereogum called it a love song, one that takes listeners back to the acoustic sound of her past releases, continuing stating that at this point in her career she can spring for an elegant string section to flesh it out, though.[4]

Music video

The video was directed by her boyfriend Jake Erland and shot on 16mm film. She is seen hanging around with her family and her love interest Erland in her home town of Iloilo City in the Philippines. As of February 2024, it has over 16 million views on YouTube.[5]

Charts

Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard Japan)[6] 13
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[7] 11

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Beabadoobee releases 'Glue Song (feat. Clairo)' alongside lyric video . 2024-02-25 . Niagara Frontier Publications.
  2. Web site: 2023-02-14 . Beabadoobee Shares New "Glue Song" for Valentine’s Day . 2024-02-24 . . en-US.
  3. Web site: Grimwood . Emie . 2023-02-18 . Valentine’s Day, held together by Beabadoobee’s ‘Glue Song’ . 2024-02-29 . The Gryphon . en-GB.
  4. Web site: 2023-02-14 . beabadoobee Shares New Single "Glue Song": Listen . 2024-02-29 . Stereogum . en.
  5. Web site: beabadoobee loves to love on heartwarming single ‘Glue Song’ . 2024-02-29 . The Brown Daily Herald . en-US.
  6. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Overseas. Billboard Japan. ja. 8 March 2023. 27 February 2024. 8 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230308043245/https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=d_and_a_overseas&year=2023&month=03&day=13. live.
  7. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. 20 February 2023. 27 February 2024. 17 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230217215414/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/hotsingles?chart=5506. live.